Winter Seatrout

February is a hard month to fish. When it's not raining, or the wind isn't blowing up a gale, it is bitterly cold. However, that doesn't mean that the fish aren't there. Seatrout and many other species live their lives regionally, meaning they don't migrate down the coast in search of warmer water like others do. Most seatrout don't venture more than 40 miles from where they are born. So even in the dead of winter the fish are out there, hunkered down, and if you're lucky they might just be hungry.

Seatrout like to move farther up into the estuary during the winter. This means you'll find them away from the sounds and beaches, farther up in the tidal creeks and rivers. This is likely due to the clear water during the winter. When the water is cold and clear, porpoises, dolphins, and other large predators can roam the beaches and bays without having to compete with sharks. This causes the seatrout to seek refuge in the tidal creeks, where they are also after the smaller baitfish that have found shelter as well. With the seasonal depature of most shrimp from the area, mullet, mud minnows, and killifish are the main forage of the trout.

The trout will always congregate to the warmest water available. This usually means deep holes where small creeks dump into rivers, or depressions around structure like bridge pilings. The difference between a spot devoid of fish and a spot full of fish can be one degree of water temperature.

This is why reports are so varied this time of year. One guy gets skunked while another guy catches a limit of nice trout. What did the lucky guy do differently? He found a warmer hole where the fish were stacked up. I have had many a winter day where I'll fish a spot and limit out on trout, only to go without a single bite the next.

Artificial baits are the name of the game in winter. A shad-tail jig like the Sea Assassin or a curly-tail grub are good bets. The salt-and-pepper w/chartreuse tail color is my favorite go-to bait. Many folks will tell you to try the Electric Chicken color, but try something different. I have caught many more trout on other colors than "The Chicken" than I ever have with it. Use them on a 1/4 ounce jighead, which is enough weight to get the bait down to the bottom where the fish are usually holding.

Fake pre-rigged shrimp are also a nice choice this time of year, if you know how to use them. The DOA shrimp or Offshore Angler Shiner Shrimp are the best two on the market. On a high tide, these are great thrown up into the grass when trout and redfish move onto the flood flats. At low tide, find the deepest hole possible, or use them around dock and bridge pilings. No matter where you are fishing them, fish them is slooooooooooow. I can't tell you how many people say these shrimp don't work who are simply using them wrong. Throw it out, and let it sink to the bottom. If you aren't on the bottom, then you won't catch fish. Once there, make very slight twitches with your rod tip, then let it sink back down and sit for 10 seconds or so. Repeat all the way back to your boat. Fish get lazy when the water is cold, so they want a simple meal. A slow-moving shrimp sitting on the bottom is something that no trout can resist. If you haven't gotten a bite after about 10 casts or so, you're in the wrong spot. I've found that the best colors depend on water clarity. In clear water, a clear w/red glitter seems to work great. In stained water, or at night under a dock light, the glow color is best. In very muddy water, the rootbeer w/gold flake seems to be the only one that works.

For guys who absolutely insist on using live bait, mud minnows or small finger mullet under a popping cork can work wonders on a slow winter day.

This time of the year is a great opportunity to enjoy the area's fishery without much pressure from other anglers and boaters. On cold days in February you'll be lucky to see another boat. Those guys who wait until warmer weather, though, are missing out on some great seatrout fishing.